Gaara: the Desert Mage
by Xuberant
Summary: This story starts with the Lullaby arc. Gaara comes to join Fairy Tail having been born in Earth Land, but he already knows Mirajane. How will the story unfold?


**A/N: Hey everybody, this story starts during the beginning of the lullaby arc. This is just before Erza has been introduced and Loki just ran out of the guild after learning Lucy is a Stellar Spirit Mage. Gaara is mostly in his Shippuden clothes.**

Loki had just ran out of the doors and shut them only for them to immediately be reopened. In walks a man he is 5' 5'' with short, red tousled hair. Slung across his back is a massive beige colored, cracked gourd with a cork closing it. He wore a blood red cloak and atop that a dark purple vest.

He slowly plodded his way up to the bar, his geta **(think the sandals that Jiraiya wears)** clacking against the ground. He walked past Natsu  & Grey who stopped fighting, wondering who he is. Mirajane & Lucy look towards him following Natsu's gaze. A look of recognition appeared upon Mirajane's face and she sprung forward grabbing him into a hug, "Oh my gosh, Gaara, what are you doing here, I thought you didn't want to come around to the guild, how's your training doing?" she said looking him over, "I need to introduce you to everybody."

Gaara looked down to her and slowly, awkwardly returned the hug, "hi Mira, I decided to come join the guild proper, I finally completed my training enough to were I felt it was safe to do so. I need to speak to the master, do you know where he is?" he asked as a slight grin graced his lips.

Mirajane took a short step back from him "the master's out of town at a meeting right now, but he'll be back tomorrow at the latest, come on I need to introduce you to Lucy," she said and began to drag him over to Lucy, "Lucy meet Gaara, Gaara, Lucy."

"Uh, h-hi, Gaara, pleasure to meet you," she managed to stutter out, rather intimidated by Gaara.

"Hello Lucy," he said with none of the warmness he had greeted Mirajane with.

As he was about to speak he was interrupted, "HEY! What are you doing in our guild!?" Natsu shouted in an attempt to be intimidating, with a flaming fist held out.

"I am in this guild because I am a member, I must ask that you desist in trying to intimidate me, it shall not work," Gaara said over his shoulder not even turning around to look at Natsu.

Natsu, enraged at being ignored, shouted, "GRAAAH! Fire Dragon's Iron Fist," and launched himself at Gaara, his fist aflame. The cork atop Gaara's gourd erupted from its resting place followed by sand which formed a shield, stopping Natsu's attack completely and trapping his fist.

"That won't work either, you really should stop before I retaliate," Gaara said emotionlessly, finally looking back over his shoulder at Natsu through a gap in the sand before resuming his conversation with Mirajane and Lucy.

Natsu, further enraged, yelled, "FIGHT ME!" he drew in his breath, "Fire Dragon's Roar," and expelled a great burst of flame. This went on for several moments before the fire cleared having done zero damage to the sand shield and Natsu suddenly found himself flung by the sand at Gray, crashing into him knocking them both over where they both began too fight.

 **Back with Gaara, Mirajane and Lucy**

"So, Gaara, how long have you been a member of the guild, I haven't seen you before?" Lucy asked confused by Mirajane's familiarity with him.

Gaara said simply, "a long time," to which Lucy sweatdropped.

"Oh, don't worry about him," said Mirajane giggling, "He's not a big talker. He's been a member of the guild even before I was, he helped me learn to master my magic."

And before Lucy could respond the doors of the guild burst in with Loki running inside saying, "OH CRAP, NATSU! GRAY! ERZA IS BACK!" and then snuck off to the side.

Natsu and Gray both quickly began to panic at hearing this yelling sporadically, "AAAAHHH!?" as Erza entered through the doors carrying a jeweled demon horn more than twice as long as she is tall.

"I'm back. Is Master present at the moment?" she asked setting down the horn with a thud.

"WELCOME BACK!" Mirajane shouted excited to her, "Master's attending the regular meeting.

Erza said, "I see," before quickly beginning to berate the various people about the guild, shocking Lucy, her having thought nothing scared Natsu. She now turned to Natsu and Gray with a request, "I actually have a favor to ask both of you. I heard something troubling at work. Usually I would consult master about this, but I regard this matter as urgent, so I need your help. You'll come with me right?"this caused shock through the occupants of the guild hall, Erza had never been teamed up and before a response could be given told them to prepare to leave tomorrow and left.

Mirajane seemed in shock, "This could be the strongest team in Fairy Tail," she said wide eyed, also shocking Lucy. Natsu and Gray began panicking and shouting, refusing to work with one another, Natsu even removing his clothes and disguising Lucy with them; these antics continuing on for a while.

Having sorted out the issue with Natsu's clothes, Gaara, Mirajane, and Lucy resumed their conversation. "Gaara, where did you live before coming here?" Lucy asked curious of how Gaara knew Mirajane but didn't live in Magnolia.

Gaara pondered answering her question for a short while before answering, "I traveled, living off the land."

Mirajane, realizing Gaara had nowhere to stay asked, "since you don't have anywhere to stay, why don't you stay at my house until you find a place? We have plenty of room."

"Thanks Mira, I appreciate it," Gaara said with a small grin having turned to look at her.

Lucy, not wanting to to interrupt the moment but unable to resist, asked a question that had been irking her, "Hey Mirajane, earlier you said Gaara helped you master your magic, but why didn't the master or someone help you out, no offense Gaara, but wouldn't someone with a lot of experience have been better."

"Uh, there were special circumstances surrounding my training, Gaara was specially suited to train me. It's kinda a private matter, so you should ask Gaara himself if you want to know more," Mirajane said nervously, glancing at Gaara.

"Oh, um, okay, thank you," said Lucy said glancing at Gaara, who stared at her intensely, before deciding to stop questioning them, "I won't pry into your business."

"Thanks," said Mirajane, "it's just. We don't like to talk about it." And with that solemn tone the conversation was effectively ended with everyone deciding to return to their homes and Gaara following Mirajane.

 **/* SCENE CHANGE *\**

 **Mirajane's House**

"Come on Gaara, I gotta tell Elfman you're here," said Mirajane opening the door and leading Gaara inside. "Hey Elfman," she shouted, "Gaara's here. Come say hello."

Elfman emerged from the kitchen, bread in hand, "Oh, hey Gaara. Whatcha doin' in town?" he asked in between bites of food.

Gaara turned to him saying, "I've come to live in Magnolia, Mira's letting me stay here until I find a place."

Elfman grinned broadly at the news, "That's great Gaara, I hope you like it here. Stay as long as you need," he said before wandering back into the kitchen.

Gaara and Mirajane then went upstairs where Mirajane showed him the guest bedroom before following him in. Gaara sat at the desk while Mirajane perched herself upon the bed. "So, you really are here for good now, you aren't going to leave again?" she said looking at him with hope in her eyes.

Gaara nodded his head and said, "yes, I'm here to stay. Mira, you know I didn't want to leave before but I had–" before being bye Mirajane.

"I know you had to, but that doesn't mean I had to like it," she said having lunged forward, hugging him with tears in her eyes, "I just don't want to lose my best friend again." She withdrew from the embrace and left the room, glancing back over her shoulder before shutting the door, "Goodnight Gaara," she said.

Gaara sat, alone in the room, motionless, before slowly standing and removing the gourd from his back, placing it upon the floor with a thud. He reclined upon the bed staring up at the ceiling, unblinking, thinking of the days to come. Eventually, he drifted off to sleep.


End file.
